Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine resulting from a loss of bladder control, and any number of different factors can cause it. If you suspect that you may be incontinent, it might be a good idea to understand exactly what incontinence is.
There are four basic areas of incontinence, urge, stress, overflow and functional. Each has a different set of symptoms.
Urge incontinence occurs when the bladder contracts or spasms when it should not. You may feel a sudden and intense urge to urinate. You could also have to go to the bathroom much more frequently than usual, or you may be bedwetting at night. The urine leakage may range anywhere from a few drops to a larger amount.
Stress incontinence occurs when the muscles around the urethra are weak, and something causes pressure on the abdomen like laughing, coughing or sneezing which forces urine out of the bladder. This normally does not occur at night, and any amount of leakage may occur.
Overflow incontinence happens when the bladder does not contract properly or the muscles around the urethra are too strong giving you the sensation that your bladder is not empty even right after you go. This problem results in either bedwetting, frequent bathroom trips or small amounts of fairly constant leakage.
Functional incontinence happens when a person is either physically disabled or suffers from dementia making it difficult for them to manage going to the bathroom. It generally does not occur at night and is normally not a direct problem with the urinary system.
If one of these incontinent patterns fits your situation, contact your health care professional for a checkup. The symptoms can frequently be remedied with anything from medication, to exercise to surgery. The sooner you have your incontinence problem diagnosed, the better your chances are of finding a speedy solution.
There are many different types of incontinence pads available today to make dealing with incontinence easier than ever before, and your purchases can even be delivered discreetly and directly to your door.
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Tags: Incontinence Pads, incontinent
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